True Life RV Stories

In order to try to explain the lure of the open road, we have put together a few actual accounts of RV trips written by the people who lived them. Read a little bit about the authors, then click on the corresponding link to read their story.

In The Heart of Old Mexico by Don and Gail.

Don and Gail Metzger are experienced RVers who recently took a trip to Mexico with a caravan of other RVers. To read about their adventures click here or on the link above.

By way of introduction, Don worked in the computer industry for 35 years, working with such companies as IBM, Timex, and Digital Equipment as a system consultant, as well as in management of both hardware and software divisions. He was educated at Ohio State University and later at M.I.T. Don still loves computing and considers it among his hobbies, along with snowmobiling, four-wheeling, antique radio repair, and ofcourse, RVing. Don retired in 1992 from Digital Corporation and presently owns and operates his own business called "Radio Restorations", in Nasua, New Hampshire.

Gail started her professional career as an Elementary School Teacher in Greenwich, Connecticut. She recieved her education at the National College of Education and at

Columbia University. She raised two boys and a girl almost single handedly, while also founding and operating several pre-schools and working as a volunteer counsellor at a Crisis Pregnancy Center. Gail enjoys needlework (having received many decorations and awards), genealogy, grandmothering, and collecting Beanie Babies and antique punched paper needlework. The Metzgers have residences in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Ohio.

Don tells how he and Gail got into RVing:
"While I was actively employed, I traveled all over the globe on business and I had seen more of foreign countries than I had seen of the US. When I retired in 1992, Gail and I decided we would buy an RV and concentrate on seeing the US from coast to coast in a series of trips. Our first RV was a 26 foot fifth wheel and we literally "ran the wheels off" it. After several extensive US trips, culminating in an Alaskan 18,000 mile adventure, we sold our first RV and became the proud owners of a 1998 Americana which we pulled 9,000 miles directly from the factory in Elkhart to Guadalajara, Mexico and back. We are presently planning to spend next winter in Arizona and environs."

Traveling the Southwest by Jim and Gwen

After spending a month in Desert Hot Springs, Jim and Gwen headed out to explore the southwest. To read about their adventures click here or on the link above.

Gwen and Jim have been married for 16 years and both worked in "high stress" jobs. Jim was in Computer Systems Design work and Gwen was a Credit Administrator for a loan program. Because of the stress inherent in both of these careers, Jim and Gwen knew they only had a certain number of "sane" years to to do this type of work (Married to the job type of efforts required). So they diligently planned for the day

they could "pull the plug." This took some careful financial planning as they both wanted to retire together. They were successful in their efforts and were able to retire this past year. During the last 7 years of their working careers, they decided to buy a small 5th wheel and truck to see if they'd like it. Well, they ended up finding it to be a really "fun" lifestyle and after years of consideration, decided to try full-timing for the first 2 or 3 years of their retirement. They haven't had much opportunity to see much of the U.S.A. and Canada, so that became the main impetus for them to "full time" it. So far so good.

Other Sites: Air Beds|Warehouse Liquidation